*Praviili - mother
*Frask – older son
Raav Ovintak - younger son/prime, also known as Trader Ovintak
House Ulstat – Stanik Island
Olev – father/prime, known largely as Trader Ulstat
Mieshk – heir, currently gathering power on Ioene
Ashhi – younger daughter
Lakdiken – younger son, currently held hostage on Istanik
*Leesa – wife of a mad prime who ruled centuries ago
House Yiltak – Stanik Island
Naviire – mother/prime, known largely as Trader Yiltak
Moanet – heir
House Srukolk – Orteshk Island
Oreken – grandfather/prime, known as Trader Srukolk
Maoket – heir, mother to Heiklet
*Heiklet – granddaughter, killed by Mieshk Ulstat during failed Nocturnai
House Majkut – Stanik Island
Avilet - younger daughter, nightcaller to the failed Nocturnai, on Ioene with Mieshk Ulstat
Crew of Zyri’s Promise
Captain Vidyul Altak
Strandmistress Nyralit
First Mate Tkira
Second Mate Gaff
Miscellaneous
Jet – captain of the gutter wardens
Caffari – leader of a band of smugglers
Daonok – Caffari’s second in command
Vanished
Peldin – speaker for the strands
Zyri – gave Lilik her memories
Tyrak – Zyri’s friend and beloved
Places
The Kiriilt Islands
A group of roughly twenty islands governed by the ruling Trader Council. The following is a partial list of individual islands.
Stanik Island
Capital: Istanik
A large island, home to a majority of the Kiriilti trader Houses. Istanik Harbor is the largest port in the Islands, and the Trader Council conducts business within Trader Council Hall in Istanik. The inland regions of Stanik Island are hilly and covered with terraced farmland. A system of earthen roads connects the farms with the coastal settlements. Because the underlying soil is clay, these roads become treacherous and slick when wet.
Araok Island
Capital: Ilaraok
The second largest of the islands, Araok also boasts the second largest city, Ilaraok. House Ulstat calls Ilaraok home. A soot-stained city, the capital reflects the harsh Araokan landscape, craggy mountains of dark stone pocked by mine holes.
Orteshk Island
Capital: Ilorteshk
Orteshk Island is a small, wooded piece of land on the eastern fringe of the archipelago. Though not heavily populated, the relatively egalitarian attitudes of Orteshkan has led to the rise of two trader Houses, Srukolk and Thuvet from amongst the population that was once entirely commoner-class.
Tuuk Island
Home to a colony of artisans known to produce some of the finest goods not only within the Kiriilt Islands, but within three weeks’ sail in any direction, Tuuk has no capital city and enjoys relative freedom from the structures imposed by the Trader Council.
Outer Isles
A collection of six small islands on the northern fringe of the archipelago. Settlements cling to the leeward aspects of craggy escarpments dropping into the sea. Fiercely independent, Outer Islanders make their living fishing and occasionally producing crafts and jewelry inspired by the rugged coasts.
Other
Ioene
An island volcano many weeks north by sailing vessel and destination of dozens of Kiriilti Nocturnais. Former home of the Vanished civilization. Ravaged by severe seasonal changes that bring days and nights lasting for months as well as a storm season that is not thought to be survivable.
Waikert Archipelago
The jungled home of the brutal Waikert sea tribes. A month’s sail southeast from the Kiriilt group.
Jalakyrisi Spicelands
A distant group of three islands where monks collect spices rumored to have magical properties.
Reknarish
A landmass large enough that it takes three weeks to sail the length of the eastern coast. Few Kiriilti have ventured to a Reknarishi port city, and none have been deeper than a day inland. The northern and southern coasts are unexplored by Kiriilti captains.
Acknowledgements
Once again, I’m deeply indebted to many people for their support and help creating this book. My readers, David Forrest, Mary Anne Tarr, and Frances Silversmith, give me fantastic feedback. Thank you to Amalia Chitulescu for the mind-blowing cover.
And last, thanks to my friends and family for their unconditional love and support.
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